Broadcast of Kurdish TV in Sweden Halted 'At Turkey's Request'

The satellite network 'Norooz', based in Stockholm, Sweden, has announced that its broadcasts have been halted at the request of the Turkish government. Established nine years ago, Norooz broadcasts political, cultural, and artistic programs in several languages, including various Kurdish dialects and Persian. In a statement, the network declared that the decision by the company Eutelsat is a 'political decision' made at the request of the Turkish government. Farooq Nazhatzadeh, the director of Norooz, stated in an interview with Radio Farda that they were initially informed of this decision verbally, but in recent days, they received a written notification about the cessation of their broadcasts from Hotbird. According to the director, the written letter from Eutelsat explicitly mentioned that this decision was made at the request of the Turkish Radio and Television Council. He added, 'The Turkish government has made such a request for several reasons, including the fact that we are a Kurdish network and that we are a network that has attempted to convey realities to our audience that the Turkish government is trying to hide.' Previously, the broadcasts of the Kurdish satellite network 'Med Noche', based in Brussels, were also halted by Eutelsat. Recently, the Turkish government has shut down more than twenty Kurdish radio and television networks within the country, accusing them of 'supporting terrorism'. The television network 'Zarok', which aired Kurdish-language cartoons for children, is among these networks. Regarding the cessation of Norooz TV's broadcasts, 'Jonathan Lundqvist', head of the Sweden section of Reporters Without Borders, criticized Eutelsat's action in an interview with Radio Sweden, stating that they have yielded to a regime that is trying to stop the free flow of information. The director of Norooz also mentioned regarding their next decision to Radio Farda: 'I have currently come to Paris to protest this illegal action by Eutelsat along with our lawyers. Our television is currently broadcasting only via the Nilesat satellite.' After the failed coup in Turkey, the detention of journalists and the shutdown of media outlets in the country have intensified. The Turkish government has mainly accused detained media and journalists of 'participating in the coup' or 'supporting terrorism.'